Roll positioning means for a rolling mill

ABSTRACT

The disclosure of this application relates to a rolling mill which includes a bar spring and a load cell as part of its gauge control mechanism. Associated with the spring and cell is a jack that adjusts the position of the spring to its optimum working position when the spring would otherwise be moved out of such a position on the insertion into the mill of different sized rolls.

United States Patent Shumaker [54] ROLL POSITIONING MEANS FOR A ROLLING MILL [72] Inventor: Charles Storer Glenshaw, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Wean United, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Aug. 13, 1971 [21] Appl. No.2 171,653

Shumaker,

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 18, 1970 Great Britain ..44576/70 51 Nov. 14, 1972 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,496,743 2/ 1970 Stone ..72/8

Primary Examiner-Milton S. Mehr Attomey-l-lenry C. Westin [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure of this application relates to a rolling mill which includes a bar spring and a load cell as part of its gauge control mechanism. Associated with the spring and cell is a jack that adjusts the position of the spring to its optimum working position when the spring would otherwise be moved out of such a position on the insertion into the mill of difierent sized 10 cl m, SDmwins V,

[52] US. Cl ..72/21, 72/245 [51] Int. Cl. ..B21b 37/08 [58] Field of Search ..72/2l 245 rolls.

ROLL POSITIONING MEANS FOR A ROLLING MILL In rolling mills of the type illustrated in U. S. Pat. No. 3,496,743 which issued to M. D. Stone on Feb. 24, 1970 entitled Rolling Mill for Producing Constant Gauge, the roll positioning indicator includes a beamspring device which serves to transfer a portion of a rolling load to a pair of load cells. These components, more, or less, have a fixed working relationship and in order to maintain this relationship, when different sized rolls are employed, shims or filler pieces must be manually inserted between the bearing chocks of the lowermost roll and the force applicator cylinder.

Another limitation of the aforesaid rolling mill arrangement had to do with the complicatedness of the design and difficulty in removing and replacing the load cells to perform maintenance.

With these limitations in mind it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved rolling mill, including an adjustable means for the roll position indicator thereof and a simplified design that allows the indicator to be located in a place where maintenance can be performed quickly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide in a rolling mill a mechanical means for detecting movement of one of the rolls of the mill which means has an optimum working position, load sensitive means arranged to engage the mechanical means, and means for moving said load sensitive means for positioning the mechanical means in its optimum working position.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide in a rolling mill a force applying means in the form of a piston cylinder assembly for engaging the bearing chock assemblies of one of the rolls of the mill, a position indicating bar spring having one end arranged to detect movement of either the piston or cylinder, on movement of said one roll by a change in rolling load, a load cell arranged remote from the cylinder assembly engaging the other end of said bar spring, a control means associated with the load cell and said cylinder assembly for effecting the operation of the cylinder assembly on the detected movement of said one roll.

These objects as well as other novel features and advantages of the present invention will be better appreciated when the following description is read along with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a rolling mill incorporating the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the force applicator cylinders provided for in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the lower portion of a rolling mill incorporating a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a broken view, partly in section, of the righthand roll positioning indicator of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the lower half of a rolling mill 10 comprising spaced-apart upright housings 11 and 12 through the windows of which there are received a pair of working rolls l3 and a pair of backing up rolls 14, FIG. 1 showing only the lower working roll 13 and its backing up roll 14. FIG. 1 also shows, with reference to the left-hand side of the backup roll 14, a portion of one of its bearing chocks 15 which is received in a roll changing sled 16, that extends through the windows of the mill and which, during the roll changing operation, is adapted to remove the rolls from the windows by operating the piston cylinder assembly 17.

It is to be noted that many of illustrated mill components follow well-known rolling mill construction so that a detailed description need not be given. It will be appreciated however that, as customary, at the top of the mill there will be provided a mechanical screwdown for initially setting the gap between the work rolls after which any change in the roll gap may be corrected by the piston cylinder assemblies located at the bottom of the mill, which are yet to be described.

Directly below the lower sections of the windows of the mill, as shown in FIG. 1 and actually arranged below the sled 16, there are provided for each housing force applicator means in the form of piston cylinder assemblies 21 and 22. These piston cylinder assemblies are identical, FIG. 2 illustrating a section of the cylinder assembly 22.

In referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 with regard to the cylinder assemblies 21 and 22, it will be observed that they each consist of a stationary cylinder 23, the lower portion of which rests on the housing 11 or 12 which receives the piston 24 thereof, the upper end of which engages and serves to adjust the bearing chocks 15 of the lower backup roll 14 through the sled 16. The piston 24 is held against rotation by a key 25 which is secured to an extension of the stationary piston cylinder assembly 23. The interior of the piston 24 is provided with a perpendicularly formed opening 26, the vertical portion of which receives a piston cylinder assembly 27, the piston 28 of which extends upwardly in the opening 26. The cylinder 29 of the assembly 27 is held in the opening 26 by the agency of a keeper plate 32 and a bolt 33.

Arranged perpendicular to each of the pistons 28 is a spring bar 34 having its one end projected over the piston 28 where it is confined by a wear plate 35 and its other end arranged remote from the piston 24 where its end also is confined by a wear plate 36. Between the two ends of the spring bar 34 there is provided a fulcrum 37 which is mounted to a stationary extension of the cylinder 23. As shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2 the outward end of the spring bar 34 is engaged by a vertical pin 38 that forms part of a load cell 39. The cell may take the form of a number of commercially available units. The load cell is mounted on a shaft 42 which is part of a jack assembly 43. The shaft 42 is vertically displaceable upon rotation of the worm wheel 44 driven by the worm 45. The worm is driven by a shaft 46, as shown best in FIG. 1, which shaft connects the jacks associated with both cylinders 21 and 22 and is driven by a motor 47 arranged at the drive side of the mill. A bevel gear unit 48 connected to each jack 43 allows worm 45 to be disposed at a right angle to the shaft 46, as one views FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show that cell and jack assemblies are arranged in a remote and easily accessible position relative to the pistons 24 of the piston cylinder assemblies 22 and 23 and are enclosed by a protective cover 51. FIG. 2 also illustrates, in full line, a representative deflection of the spring bar 34 which takes place when the rolling mill parts are subject to a rolling load and the gauge control system is functioning. There is also shown, in phantom, a displacement of the spring bar 34 brought about by a change in the diameter of the rolls of the mill which position it is designed to illustrate, in exaggerated form. The function of the jacks 43 is to reposition the cells 39 so that the bars 34 can be brought to their horizontal or working positions. I

The actual functioning of the cylinder assemblies 21 and 22 along with the bar springs and load cells is clearly set forth in the aforesaid U. S. Pat. No. 3,496,743 so that it need not be described. The functioning of the cylinders 27, however, needs further explanation. The purpose of these cylinders is to avoid overstressing the spring bars 34 should the operator inadvertently operate the cylinder assemblies 21 and 22 without any rolls being in the mill. In order to avoid overstressing the spring bars, a controlled low pressure is admitted to the cylinder assemblies 27 so that should the operator inadvertently cause operation of the cylinder assemblies 21 and 22 to place abnormal stress on the spring bars 34, the pistons 28 will be displaced so as to relieve the stress on the spring bars.

The control of the piston cylinder assemblies 29 and 22 will be from pressure control valves 49 interposed between pumps not shown and the cylinders and which, in turn, are controlled by an automatic gauge control system which may be similar to the support illustrated in FIG. 6 of the aforesaid Stone patent.

Turning now to the second embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, many of the components and their functions are similar to what has been already described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, although they have been rearranged in certain cases. In addition, certain new components have been added to the assembly particularly in the fact that two bar springs, cell and jack assemblies are provided for each of the applicator piston cylinder assemblies. FIG. 3 illustrates piston cylinder assemblies 55 and 56, which adjust the lower backup roll through the bearing chocks 57 and 58. These chocks are mounted on the sled as illustrated in FIG. 1, a portion of the sled 59 being shown in FIG. 3. Instead of the spring bars being arranged to associate with the center of the pistons, in the second embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, spring bars 61 are associated with the movable cylinders 62. In this embodiment the pistons 63 of the piston cylinder assemblies 55 and 56 are stationarily held and the cylinders 63 come into contact with the sled 59. As shown in FIG. 4, each cylinder 63 is inverted with respect to FIG. 1 and is provided with opposed projections 64. Each projection has an opening which receives a slotted shaft 65 on which there are mounted on opposite ends slide members 66, this being best shown in FIG. 3. In the center of the assembly there is a stationary nut 67 threadably receiving the shaft 65. The slide members 66 at their lower portions are brought into engagement with a spring bar 61. In engagement with these lower portions and midway between their ends there is provided a fulcrum block 69. The fulcrum block 69 is carried by a sliding block 72 which is received in a guide 73, the lower end of the 6 block 72 being supported and connected to a shaft 74 which is part of the jack assembly 75, the jack assembly being supported by the housing 76 of the mill stand.

As shown in FIG. 5 there is provided a pair of jack assemblies for each cylinder assembly 55 and 56. In this connection the jacks are driven by a common motor drive 77 through bevel gear units 78, 79 which are associated with the jacks by virtue of shafts 81 and 82. FIG. 5 also illustrates a selsyn receiver 83 and the customary limit switches 84, both of which are employed to assist in positioning of the load cells 70 and, hence, the positioning of the spring bars 1.

It is the object of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 to provide a mechanism that will allow the modulus of the spring bar 61 to be changed so that the operator may have the ability to operate with a very stiff mill or a very soft mill, depending upon the operating conditions that prevail. In this regard the shafts are simply adjusted to move the slide members 66 whereby they cause a controlled deflection of the spring bars 61 in accordance with the particular desired rolling program.

This particular arrangement is designed to allow a change in the modulus from 0.050 to 0.2 which represents a 4:1 spring control range. The 0.2 modulus condition may be employed when rolling strip of the order of 0.2 where the mill spring itself comes to 0.1. The 0.050 modulus condition may be employed when the strip being rolled is 0.050 inch where there is a 0.1 mill spring and a spring controlled range of 0.1. Accordingly, as the conditions of rolling change for a given mill, the operator will be able to adjust the modulus condition to suit the particular rolling mill condition he faces.

While a spring and load cell embodiment has been described in detail, it will be appreciated that other well-known forms of roll position or movement indicators can be employed in place of the arrangement illustrated and described.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof.

I claim: 1. In a rolling mill including a housing, a pair of roll assemblies mounted in said housing, a force applying means for positioning one of said roll assemblies relative to said other roll assembly,

mechanical means having a working position and arranged to detect movement of one of said roll assemblies relative to a fixed reference point associated with the rolling mill and to be displaced on operation of said force applying means,

a movement sensitive means associated with said mechanical means,

said force applying means being operable to place said one roll in a predetermined position with respect to a desired passline of said rolling mill during which positioning said mechanical means is moved out of said working position, and

means for moving said movement sensitive means to position said mechanical means in said working position.

2. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein said 5 movement sensitive means comprises a load sensitive gages said one roll assembly and effects movement thereof, and

wherein said mechanical means comprises a bar spring having one end associated with the piston of said piston cylinder assembly and displaceable by said piston on movement thereof and the other end located remote from said piston and associated with said load sensitive means.

3. In a rolling mill according to claim 2 wherein said means for moving said load sensitive means comprises:

a worm-wheel gear unit and power means for driving said gear unit.

4. In a rolling mill according to claim 2 wherein said piston is provided with an opening into which extends one end of said bar spring, and I a stationary fulcrum arranged between the opposite ends of said bar spring in a manner that movement of said piston is detected by said load sensitive means.

5. In a rolling mill according to claim 4, including a yieldable means arranged in said opening and in engagement with the end of said bar spring associated with said piston.

6. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein said force applying means comprises:

a piston cylinder assembly arrangement so that its cylinder engages said one roll assembly and effects movement thereof, and

wherein said mechanical means comprises a pair of bar springs arranged on opposite sides of said piston cylinder assembly and so disposed that on displacement of the cylinder of said piston cylinder assembly said spring bars are deflected.

7. In a rolling mill according to claim 6 wherein each bar spring includes a threaded shaft,

a pair of slidable blocks mounted on said shaft for equal but opposite movement relative thereto,

said bar springs engaged by said blocks so that deflection of the bar springs can be varied on movement of said blocks.

8. In a rolling mill according to claim 7 comprising:

a movable fulcrum member arranged midway between the ends of each bar spring on the side opposite the side on which said movable blocks are arranged,

means for moving said fulcrum members so as to position said bar springs vertically, and wherein each fulcrum member is adapted to receive a load sensitive means.

9. In a rolling mill according to claim 8 wherein said one roll is adjusted by two piston cylinder assemblies, and

wherein each cylinder assembly is provided with a pair of said bar springs,

said means for adjusting vertically said bar springs comprising screw jack means for each bar spring, and

means for connecting each screw jack means to a common electrical motor.

10. In a device for positioning one of the rolls of a rolling mill or like apparatus comprising:

a pair of bearing chock assemblies for supporting the opposite bearing journals of said one roll,

force applying means engaging said bearing chock assemblies for sitioning said one roll, said force app ying means having a stationary member and a movable member and wherein said movable member is arranged to cause movement of said roll and is movable by said one roll on displacement of said roll,

a position indicating means having a first portion arranged to detect relative movement between said stationary and movable members of said force applying means,

movement sensitive means associated with a second portion of said position indicating means for detecting movement thereof, and

control means associated with said movement sensitive means and said force applying means for changing the position of the movable member of said force applying means on a detected movement of said one roll. 

1. In a rolling mill including a housing, a pair of roll assemblies mounted in said housing, a force applying means for positioning one of said roll assemblies relative to said other roll assembly, mechanical means having a working position and arranged to detect movement of one of said roll assemblies relative to a fixed reference point associated with the rolling mill and to be displaced on operation of said force applying means, a movement sensitive means associated with said mechanical means, said force applying means being operable to place said one roll in a predetermined position with respect to a desired passline of said rolling mill during which positioning said mechanical means is moved out of said working position, and means for moving said movement sensitive means to position said mechanical means in said working position.
 2. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein said movement sensitive means comprises a load sensitive means, and said force applying means comprises a piston cylinder assembly arranged so that its piston engages said one roll assembly and effects movement thereof, and wherein said mechanical means comprises a bar spring having one end associated with the piston of said piston cylinder assembly and displaceable by said piston on movement thereof and the other end located remote from said piston and associated with said load sensitive means.
 3. In a rolling mill according to claim 2 wherein said means for moving said load sensitive means comprises: a worm-wheel gear unit and power means for driving said gear unit.
 4. In a rolling mill according to claim 2 wherein said piston is provided with an opening into which extends one end of said bar spring, and a stationary fulcrum arranged between the opposite ends of said bar spring in a manner that movement of said piston is detected by said load sensitive means.
 5. In a rolling mill according to claim 4, including a yieldable means arranged in said opening and in engagement with the end of said bar spring associated with said piston.
 6. In a rolling mill according to claim 1 wherein said force applying means comprises: a piston cylinder assembly arrangement so that its cylinder engages said one roll assembly and effects movement thereof, and wherein said mechanical means comprises a pair of bar springs arranged on opposite sides of said piston cylinder assembly and so disposed that on displacement of the cylinder of said piston cylinder assembly said spring bars are deflected.
 7. In a rolling mill according to claim 6 wherein each bar spring includes a threaded shaft, a pair of slidable blocks mounted on said shaft for equal but opposite movement relative thereto, said bar springs engaged by said blocks so that deflection of the bar springs can be varied on movement of said blocks.
 8. In a rolliNg mill according to claim 7 comprising: a movable fulcrum member arranged midway between the ends of each bar spring on the side opposite the side on which said movable blocks are arranged, means for moving said fulcrum members so as to position said bar springs vertically, and wherein each fulcrum member is adapted to receive a load sensitive means.
 9. In a rolling mill according to claim 8 wherein said one roll is adjusted by two piston cylinder assemblies, and wherein each cylinder assembly is provided with a pair of said bar springs, said means for adjusting vertically said bar springs comprising screw jack means for each bar spring, and means for connecting each screw jack means to a common electrical motor.
 10. In a device for positioning one of the rolls of a rolling mill or like apparatus comprising: a pair of bearing chock assemblies for supporting the opposite bearing journals of said one roll, force applying means engaging said bearing chock assemblies for positioning said one roll, said force applying means having a stationary member and a movable member and wherein said movable member is arranged to cause movement of said roll and is movable by said one roll on displacement of said roll, a position indicating means having a first portion arranged to detect relative movement between said stationary and movable members of said force applying means, movement sensitive means associated with a second portion of said position indicating means for detecting movement thereof, and control means associated with said movement sensitive means and said force applying means for changing the position of the movable member of said force applying means on a detected movement of said one roll. 